Lombardi’s Way - A column from the 24×7 founder that focuses on the Ravens, the NFL, Baltimore, the world of sports or life’s inspirations.

Word on The Street - In the spirit of the CBS Sports Minute with Boomer Esiason, RSR brings you Word on The Street, a 90 second (or less) podcast on topics exclusively relating to the Baltimore Ravens.

Ravens Links - We’ll give you the best stories about the Ravens from around the web three times per week.

The Fanimal - If you are an animal about the Baltimore Ravens, then you are a Fanimal! Follow the Russell Street Report blog Fanimal Crackers!

The Edgar Awards - The Edgar Awards will range from the Maryland county that is home to the best Ravens fans to the best Ravens podcast; from the best collection of displaced fans to the best local craft brews that should be part of your next tailgating party.

The Road to RSR - Our writers explains their journeys as fans and how they came to write for our little corner of sports media.

Minutes after Jackson was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, he told Deion Sanders that he would reward the franchise for their confidence in him.

“They’re going to get a Super Bowl out of me. Believe that,” Jackson told Sanders.

Indeed, Jackson showed a myopic focus on winning games when he took over the starting role for Joe Flacco. The Ravens won six of their last seven games with Jackson as the starter and earned their first AFC North Division title since 2012.

Jackson amassed 556 rushing yards over that stretch, which ranked seventh in the NFL. Overall, Jackson led all NFL quarterbacks with 695 yards rushing.

At age 21, Jackson was the youngest quarterback to ever start in the NFL postseason.

The season, though, ended with a disappointing 23-17 loss to the Chargers in the first round of the AFC playoffs. Jackson struggled to move the ball for more than three quarters and the offense was booed by some fans at M&T Bank Stadium, which rankled some of the Ravens players.

Jackson did manage to throw a pair of touchdown passes to Michael Crabtree in the fourth quarter to make the score respectable. However, that game showed how much work is ahead of Jackson to become a proficient downfield passer.

Despite that setback, Jackson has already won over many of his teammates with his game-breaking ability and presence in the huddle.

“Lamar is a natural leader, and he knows how to control a team,” left tackle Ronnie Stanley said. “I’m very happy with his progress being thrown into the starting lineup in the middle of the season. He performed very well.”

Coach John Harbaugh has already confirmed Jackson is the team’s quarterback going forward. Flacco, who spent 11 season in Baltimore, will either be traded or released.

One of the goals this offseason will be to provide Jackson with a few more weapons on offense and a sturdier offensive line that can open holes for him. Jackson has a work ethic that serves as a model for other players. There’s no question that he will be dedicated to improving his game.

The Ravens also replaced Marty Mornhinweg with Greg Roman as the offensive coordinator. Roman will put together a more creative game plan for Jackson and has shown he can wear teams down with his running attack.

The change should benefit Jackson.

The young quarterback will be under close scrutiny this offseason, especially throwing the ball in workouts. For Jackson, he will judge his performance on wins and losses.

About Todd Karpovich

Todd Karpovich has been a contributor for ESPN, the Associated Press, SportsXchange, the Baltimore Sun, among other media outlets nationwide. He is the co-author of “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Baltimore Ravens Sideline, Locker Room, and Press Box,” “Skipper Supreme: Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles,” and the author of “Manchester United (Europe's Best Soccer Clubs).” Karpovich lives in Towson with his wife, Jill, daughters, Wyeth and Marta, and a pair of dogs, Sarah and Rory. More from Todd Karpovich

Sidebar 300×250

Lombardi’s Way - A column from the 24×7 founder that focuses on the Ravens, the NFL, Baltimore, the world of sports or life’s inspirations.

Word on The Street - In the spirit of the CBS Sports Minute with Boomer Esiason, RSR brings you Word on The Street, a 90 second (or less) podcast on topics exclusively relating to the Baltimore Ravens.

Ravens Links - We’ll give you the best stories about the Ravens from around the web three times per week.

The Fanimal - If you are an animal about the Baltimore Ravens, then you are a Fanimal! Follow the Russell Street Report blog Fanimal Crackers!

The Edgar Awards - The Edgar Awards will range from the Maryland county that is home to the best Ravens fans to the best Ravens podcast; from the best collection of displaced fans to the best local craft brews that should be part of your next tailgating party.

The Road to RSR - Our writers explains their journeys as fans and how they came to write for our little corner of sports media.